Performance Evaluation of a Hand-Push Seeder for Mechanized Pigeonpea Planting on Farm Bunds

Abstract

Cultivating pigeonpea on farm bunds offers smallholder farmers an opportunity to maximise land usage, thereby increasing food security and potential income. This study evaluates the impact of mechanised sowing using a hand push seeder on pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) productivity, economic returns, agronomic performance and environmental benefits in the semi-arid region of Balodabazar District of Chhattisgarh (India). The experiment was conducted using a randomised block design with two treatments, manual dibbling (T1) and mechanised sowing with a hand push seeder (T2) over ten replications. Results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) of replicates for composition measurements. Statistical analyses were used with analysis of One-Way ANOVA and Tukey test at the significance level P < 0.05. Key performance parameters, including labour efficiency, seed placement accuracy, germination rate, yield and economic viability, were assessed. Mechanised sowing increased yield by 104 kg ha-1, achieving 1280 kg ha-1 with a revenue gain of 144640 ₹ ha-1 and a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 3.7 compared to 3.2 in manual dibbling. Mechanised sowing also showed improvements in agronomic traits such as plant height, number of branches and pod count, promoting healthier crop stands. Mechanised sowing produced an average of 11.2 branches per plant compared to 9.5 branches in manual dibbling plants, indicating a 17.9% increase. Plants in mechanised sowing reached an average height of 145 cm compared to 130 cm in manual dibbling plants, showing an 11.5% increase in plant height. Mechanised sowing led to an increase in pod production with an average of 245 pods per plant compared to 220 pods in manual dibbling plants, representing an 11.4% increase. Mechanised sowing produced a slight increase in seed weight, with an average 100-seed weight of 10.4 g compared to 9.8 g in manual dibbling. Seeder performance parameters indicated a higher quality of feed index and reduced miss and multiple index, contributing to more uniform plant spacing. Environmental benefits, including reduced soil disturbance and improved moisture conservation, were also observed. The findings suggest that mechanised sowing with a hand push seeder offers a cost-effective, sustainable approach to enhance pigeonpea productivity and profitability, suitable for smallholder farmers in resource-limited settings.